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Monday, 9 May 2011

Remembering the Bali Bombings

Despite the fun and sun that Bali promises, 12 October 2002 will forever be remembered as a day of carnage and sorrow where more than 200 people lost their lives in a bomb attack.

On that day, bombs ripped apart a popular pub area in Legian. The bombs were carried by a suicide bomber and also placed in a parked van. Islamic extremist group, Jemaah Islamiyah were believed to be responsible for the attacks and 3 of its members were convicted and sentenced to death for that despicable act.

When I was in Bali I asked a taxi driver to bring me to the location of the blasts, and this is where it took place:

Ground Zero

A memorial has been built on Ground Zero to remember the bombings and all who perished in it.

The names of all those who died are engraved into the monument wall:

Most of those who died were foreigners with Australians being the most. After this incident I make it a point whenever I travel to live and hangout where the locals do cause terrorists will usually attack places where there are many foreigners (read: Caucasians).

I also saw a banner near the area that remembers the incident:

Translation:

Now it is not the time to become sad again because teardrops will only reopen old wounds,

Hold our heads high to protect our beloved Bali with the spirit of peace,

Peace October now and forever.

Behind the monument is White Rose Hotel which has a prayer engraved at its entrance:

A prayer

I also pray and hope that incidences like this will never happen again anywhere in the world.

Tourists and travellers are innocent people caught in the crossfire of disagreements between certain powers that be.